I am certain there are many who would disagree.

Sometimes we need to look past the economical view when evaluating the worth of an item.

Recently on local television, I saw a young child give a donation to a charity telethon that they saved by themself.  

The donation was mainly five cent coins. 

The size of the donation was irrelevant.  

The lessons learnt by the child were invaluable.  

The self-worth the child felt was immeasurable.  

Whilst many people may consider the five cent coin a nuisance, I respectfully suggest it is a commodity that today still serves a purpose, albeit not to the same extent it once did.

I suspect once the five cent coins are removed from circulation people will start whingeing about the 10 cent coin.

Anthony Camino, Youngtown.

TODD Hills (The Examiner, July 4)  many countries smarter than ours and particularly India and China, are moving away as quickly as they can from energy through burning coal.

This will take time but they have realised that the future is in increased use of renewable energy.

There is no smart money being invested in building coal fired power stations. The reality in Australia is that several stations will close in the next few years .

The last station to come on line was over two decades ago. That we were going to reach this situation came as no surprise to anyone except our present government. So much for forward planning.

Looking ahead there could be a vital manufacturing industry in renewables. Plain old physics dictates that increase in renewable energy is the only way into the future as use of fossil fuels diminish. And  the concept of "clean coal" beggars belief.

We have arrived at the present crisis because so many years have wasted in denial of the science of climate change and politicians on both sides unholy alliance with the mining  and fossil fuel industries.

Ralph Marshall, Launceston.

WITH the success of Australia's first underwater logging operation right here in Tasmania, Hydrowood, we congratulate the company.

It is a real life ' Lazarus' operation of specialty timbers, such as celery top and Huon pine, sassafras, myrtle and blackwood. 

With the flooding of old growth forests decades ago for hydro power supply (such as Lake Pieman in 1986) it effectively drowned vast amounts of still standing trees in prime condition.  

It's a welcome relief a valuable resource wasted by one generation has been resurrected by another.  

Robert Lee, Summerhill.

THE RECENT contempt of court proceedings against three Coalition ministers has many people scratching their heads at the outcome.

The ministers involved were required to front the court and advise why they should not be held as being in contempt of the courts.

Instead the Solicitor General appears on their behalf and expresses regret for their comments, but no apologies.

One week later still being held in contempt they manage to grudgingly offer an apology which appears to have been accepted and the matter closed.

There is without doubt a serious breach of division between the state and the judiciary and yet it is swept under the carpet as though it was of  no consequence.

A Carter, Mowbray.

ACCORDING to the American Gun Violence Archive some 13,286 people were killed by firearms, with 26,819 injured, during 2015 (figures exclude suicide.)

It is estimated that there are 300 million guns held in homes throughout the US.

Jack Sonneman argues that members of the National Rifle Association in the US have never shot nor caused any gun violence (The Examiner, June 30).

Leaving this ridiculous assertion aside, it’s worth noting that the NRA is most dangerous not for any violence its membership might cause, but for its consistent and powerful objection to gun reform, no matter how trivial that reform might be. 

Dave Robinson, Newstead.

AS THE 2016-17 dairy season comes to a close, many farmers would be forgiven for saying ‘good riddance’ to a tumultuous year (The Examiner, July 1).

And many a dairy cow would be forgiven for thinking “good riddance to a tortuous” year.

The editorial says “we should make sure we are looking after the hands that feeds us”.

And more importantly we should make sure “that hand” is looking after the hooves that feed them.

A.R. Trounson, Needles.

AS FAR as I’m concerned, junk mail is any uninvited mail, so why do politicians assume that I want to receive their letters and leaflets? 

I suppose one person’s trash could be another one’s treasure, but then do we need people in government who are unable to read and obey a simple sticker?

Val Clarke, Kings Meadows.

I TOTALLY agree with Pat Allen, Tasmania Police Association President. 

Officers need more protection. 

Why do offenders who assault police either on or off duty get suspended sentences?

Our judicial system needs a serious overhaul.

F. O'Sullivan, Riverside.